The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15 to 20 percent of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills, incinerators and are illegally exported to developing countries. This is dangerous because most electronic components possess toxic elements, including lead, beryllium, polyvinyl chloride and mercury. All these materials are extremely toxic to the environment and humans. This is why it is important to properly recycle your electronics.

Export of E-waste

Another reason why it is important to properly recycle electronics is because e-waste is routinely exported to developing countries by irresponsible recyclers to places where they do not have the means to safetly recycle these products.

These foreign junkyards hire low-wage employees to pick through the few valuable components of often toxic old machines. The toxic electronic parts are left in the scrap yards or dumped into the land.

Where are Electronics Recycled?

Electronics’ can be properly recycled at a local trusted electronics recycler. The E-cycling Central website allows users to select their state and city to find a trusted recycler nearest them. Additionally, many electronic recyclers offer pick-up services and collection events.

There are also ways to assure that your old electronic equipment is handled by a reputable recycler. It is important to check to see if your electronics recycler is first looking to see if old equipment can be reused before it is sold for parts. Reuse is always more environmentally sound and will give devices an extra couple years of usability.

If refurbishment is not an option, reputable recyclers will use mechanical shredding and a high-tech separation device to take out the usable metals, which can then be sent to a smelter.

With that being said, it is best to recycle your electronics as soon as you know you are done using them. This is because electronic depreciation happens fast, so by the time a device gets to a recycler nearly all of the initial value is gone, making it even more difficult to refurbish a device.

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Don’t Forget to Erase Your Data

Before you recycle or donate your computer or cell phone, be sure to erase your data from the device. You must do more than just deleting the files, you must “wipe” the hard drive so it can’t be retrieved by anyone else. Sometimes your recycler will do this for you or will do it for an extra charge. There are also free downloadable softwares that will overwrite your data.

Paying to Get Things Done Right

Cathode ray tube or CRT TV’s contain on average six pounds of lead. This makes them extremely dangerous and costly to recycle correctly. With this being said, not all electronic devices are free to donate and drop off at an electronics recycler. CRT TV’s, printers, cartridges and many large home appliances are dangerous to recycle, so consumers should expect to pay a small fee to recycle them. It’s better to pay a little bit now than to suffer the environmental consequences later.

What Can be Done with E-Waste?

Each electronic device is made from precious metals like gold in circuit boards, copper for connective wires and silver in solder. When these electronic devices are properly recycled the precious materials are sold for profit and turned into something new. For instance, cell phone batteries can be used to make new smartphones and batteries, while zinc and aluminum from laptops and tablets can be used for metal plates, jewelry, cars or art.